Cool Dividing Tip Leaves me With a Question - Orchid Board

Cattleya17 · #1 08-04-2009, 07:56 AM

i found this awesome dividing tip right here on the OB
Link:The Cattleya "Cut-Divide-and-Conquer" Multiplier Method - Orchid Board

It really is a Genius idea! It saves you that whole "will this division survive or do well" panic when you have to divide a really nice Cattleya. but it leaves me with a question?? can you do this dividing technique with your other catts that dont need repotting but are growing in a straight line and only putting out only one lead? can you do it to wake up the dormant eyes and help your plant realize it real potential?

Read the article its awesome! and it will help you answer my question. LoL

dounoharm · #2 08-04-2009, 08:25 AM

i do that all the time....when an orchid is growing in a straight line, its easy to clip off the front 3-5 leaves and rhizome to pot separately, and leave the back bulbs alone to form new growth from the dormant eyes.....works like a charm....be sure to treat the cut areas with cinnamon or some antifungal/bacterial dressing....keep the new cutting rather dry till it shows new growth of roots....many times the old backbulbs will spill out with growth in diff directions, while the original straight cutting will keep growing in a straight line...

Cattleya17 · #3 08-04-2009, 06:46 PM

ohh cool!!! My case is i have a plant i like alot but it is only putting out one growth at a time and all my other Cattleyas are putting out multiple growths at once and this one is growing in a straight line, it does not need to be repotted yet maybe another year, so i am wondering if i can use this technique to make it send out growths from the not active parts of the rhizome? to kinda get it to be a multi growth plant. and thus get more bloom stems

libby · #4 08-04-2009, 08:23 PM

I do this all the time as well. When done in spring or summer, the back growth usually puts out new growth almost immediately. It seems to make the front growth start growing much more vigorously as well. This is a great way to give you more blooming stems.

Cattleya17 · #5 08-04-2009, 08:47 PM

Cool operation Invigorate will be in affect tomorrow! i cant wait to see some results!

natasha · #6 08-04-2009, 10:50 PM

wow, i didn't know this! must try!

snow · #7 08-05-2009, 12:33 AM

i actually have done this many times after reading this on ob. after i devide them and new roots an growths have startes i transfer them directly into sh. where they keep growing on their merry way.
it,s a wonderfull tip

Ray · #8 08-05-2009, 08:36 AM

Uh-oh. Here I go again.

If you ever have any intention of showing your plants, cutting a rhizome to multiply the growth fronts will cause it to be rejected from judging.

Some would also argue (not necessarily me, but I'll throw it our for discussion) that a single, large "colony" of growths functions as a single plant, gathering light and producing sugars, absorbing nutrients and storing them, giving it more overall vigor than two smaller colonies could have.

Therefore, if you're not getting multiple leads, you're really not growing your plant as well as you should, and that you're artificially "forcing" the dormant eyes to sprout, which is akin to cutting a phal spike to get reblooming - it works, but weakens the plant.

libby · #9 08-05-2009, 09:17 AM

Ray - Is it possible that once the back bulbs are separated, the front can spend more of its energy producing new growth since it doesn't have to support that back growth any more? Same thing with phals - if I remove a couple of old leaves, it begins a growth spurt. I don't mean to be argumentative, but this has been my observation. I guess there are different ways of looking at most anything.

Cattleya17 · #10 08-05-2009, 06:31 PM

Well i dont think that because a plant doesnt make multiple leads means ur not growing it as well as you should be. some plants In my observation just grow differently. Some hybrids are more vigourous than others and thus make one lead at a time. like for instance a plant i just got from SBOE only has one lead and based on previous growths from the plant have only had one lead. I like these discussions!
Not to be argumentative though! i just simply disagree. everyone sees things differently i suppose!

Well i did it and am waiting to see what happens! i cant wait to see if it works! this plant i divided myself a couple of years ago and it was a 2 lead plant one in the front and one in the back. but then the lead in the back became dormant and stopped producing. But the other lead went on to be a blooming lead! So i am hoping the dormant end will get some kick and get back to business!